During the Lenten season ( those 40 days ) every year we are advised by the pastors and servants of God to sacrifice some of our interests so that we can help people who are in want. Have we really felt the need of charity in our hearts and have we prepared ourselves to lend a helping hand?

Unfortunately, those of us who are left with surplus still want to build up treasures for us and our children. In short we make an idol out of money. Andrew Carnegie, a Scottish born American industrialist who made a great fortune in Steel business said, “No idol is more debasing than the worship of money!!” He amassed more than 400 million dollars in business and it is estimated that he gave away 99.5% of his earnings for philanthropic causes. That was why he could say, “The man who dies rich, dies disgraced!”

In the Bible Paul while writing to Timothy impressed the fact that the rich should be considerate and do good works. He said that they should train themselves in charity. In the Old Testament also the Lord gave many laws to the rich landlords that they must leave something out of the gleanings of the field for the poor and the destitute and also those who are not partakers of the inheritance. Our Lord is such a compassionate God and he cares for the humble, the poor and the destitute. He expects the same from us – who are His children.

So friends let us use these days of self-denial to save something for the needy and extend our hands extensively and exclusively for them. Let us not hold our hands back. Has not the Lord blessed us abundantly? Let us show our gratitude to Him by showing our love and concern to our brethren in need.